Full pocket indications in record card machines



w. WOLF 3,224,759

FULL POCKET INDICATIONS IN RECORD CARD MACHINES Dec. 21, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1963 Jnrenton- Waldemar Wolf w m w 3 9" Ie a M m A from m: Y

W. WOLF Dec. 21, 1965 FULL POCKET INDICATIONS IN RECORD CARD MACHINES 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 14, 1963 NW mm NW mm Jnremor:

Waldemar Wolf ehael S- S'z ik 42% torngy United States Patent 3,224,759FULL POCKET INDICATIONS IN RECORD CARD MACHINES Waldemar Wolf,Nurnberg-Reichelsdorf, Germany, as-

signor to Michael Maul, Schwabach, near Nurnberg, Germany Filed Mar. 14,1963, Ser. No. 265,180

Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 25, 1962,

M 54,308 2 Claims. (Cl. 271-64) In punched card machines (particularlyin sorting machines for punched cards) it is customary to release a fullpocket signal if the card receiving pocket is filled with cards. Forthis purpose in each pocket usually a resilient card receiving carriageis provided which, in unloaded condition, is arranged somewhat below thecard path and will be lowered for the extent of the card stack uponincrease of the card weight. In its lowermost position the carriagereleases the full pocket signal, for instance by closing of a contact.Generally the machine is stopped by this signal. In sorting machinescustomarily comprising a larger number of sorting pockets at common baroperable by each card receiving carriage is provided for a plurality ofcard receiving pockets, which common bar will release the full pocketsignal when moved from its initial position.

In relatively simple machines comprising a plurality of card receivingpockets-as in conventional sorting machinesthe technical means for thecard receiving carriages are of importance with respect to productionand costs. Moreover, often the constructive dimensions of the machineare disadvantageously influenced by the carriage.

F or the purpose of reducing the costs of these machines and in order todiminish the constructive dimensions (for instance in desk machines)thereforewith the omission of the conventional card carriage moving upand down according to the present invention, on the firmly fastenedbottom of the pocket a resilient feeler is provided performing only aslight lift above the bottom of the pocket, the spring action of thefeeler being adjusted in such a manner that, if the pocket is filled,the slight lift is overcome just as far as to release the full pocketsignal. This arrangement approves of a limited height of the pocket, inany event not so high that looping of the card in the card receivingpocket can take place if the card is fed into the pocket. Accordingly,the arrangement according to the invention is particularly advantageousin cases not depending on very high stacks of received cards andallowing removal of the card stacks from the machine repeatedly,however, permitting only removal of smaller card stacks at a time. Thisis for instance the case in machines to be employed in smaller andmedium sized enterprises producing a smaller number of cards anyway andconsequently preferring for economic reasons a simpler and cheapermachine, preferably in the form of a desk machine.

Further preferred features of the invention will be seen from thefollowing specification and the claims.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in connection with a so-called small type sorting machinecomprising only six pockets and being constructed as a desk machine. Itis evident that the invention is not restricted to this case of appication.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the machine;

FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the common bar as well as a micro switchcontrolled by the common bar;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the feeler arranged in the bottom ofthe pocket;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the sorting machine;

3,224,759 Patented Dec. 21, 1965 FIG. 5 shows the circuit diagram of themachine, however, only as far as it is essential for the full pocketsignal.

The sorting procedure proper need not be explained in detail since it isknown per se and for the rest is of no importance for the object of theinvention. It must only be mentioned that in numerical sorting the cardsare sorted in two sorting runs. In the first sorting run the digit 0 to4 are assorted into five sorting pockets and the remaining cards dropinto the reject pocket arranged at the left hand end of the machine. Thedigit pockets :having been cleared, the cards are removed from thereject pocket and will run once more through. the machine, however, inthis instance sorting according to digits 5 to 9 will take place.

In the usual manner the cards are deposited in the magazine 10, with theaid of a rotating card knife the cards are drawn one by one from thecard stack and by means of feed rollers are fed past an analyzingstation 11 (FIG. 4) capable of analyzing simultaneously five holepositions of the card. In the first sorting run the analyzing station 11is rendered effective by an impulse emitter (not illustrated) at themoment at which the hole positions 0 to 4 are just in the analyzingstation, and in the second sorting run the analyzing station is renderedeffective at a moment at which the hole positions 5 to 9 are in saidanalyzing station. The impulse emitter may be rendered effective to theone or the other mode of operation by key actuation. For each sortingpocket a sorting magnet 13 is provided lifting an assigned sorting bar14 upon energization. Thus in a known manner the sorting deflectors 15are drawn apart at a point corresponding to the .perforation so that thecard is forced to run into its assigned sorting pocket. The sortingpockets comprise the pocket bottom 17 consisting of one piece and thepartition walls 18.

In each sorting pocket a feeler is provided to be seen in front viewfrom FIG. 4 and in section from FIG. 3. In FIG. 1 said feelers are nomore perceptible since they are arranged deeply within the cardreceiving pocket in such a manner that they are no longer visible uponperspective illustration. These feelers are, however, providedapproximately in the middle of the pocket bottom so that the centre ofgravity of the card stack lies just over the feeler. Preferably, thefeeler is, however, slightly displaced to the front with respect to themiddle, so that the card stack is prevented from tilting forwardly, but,if tilting should occur at all, is forced to tilt backwardly thusresting upon the rear wall of the card receiving pocket.

The feeler is provided as follows:

A pin 22 is fixed in a cap 21 (FIG. 3), said pin being loosely guidedthrough a set screw 23. The lowermost side of the cap 21 bears a flange28 urged against the lower side of the pocket bottom 17 by means of thespring 24. The spring 24 is mounted in a spring cup 25 comprising amiddle bore into which the projection of the set screw is freelyentering, so that the spring cup rests on the set screw. The set screw23 is adjustable within a holding sheet 26 by means of a thread and theholding sheet 26 is fixed to the pocket bottom 17 by means of screws.The lower end of the set screw 23 is slashed so that it may be turned bymeans of a tool. By turning of the set screw 23 consequently the springcup 25 may be adjusted in upward or in downward direction and therebythe spring 24 may be adjusted to more or less strong pressure. Aftercorresponding adjustment the set screw 23 is arrested in its position bymeans of a locking nut 27.

If the pocket is filled the feeling cap 21 is pressed downwardly to adegree causing the lower end of the pin 22 to engage the lip 36 of acommon bar 31 so that this common bar is somewhat displaced.Accordingly, the common bar 31 is displaced as soon as any one of thesorting pockets is filled. The two ends of the common bar 31 arerotatably mounted between points. Approximately in the middle of themachine there is provided a micro switch 36 and the arrangementillustrated in FIG. 2. A lever arm 32, seated on the common bar 31, isheld in its position as shown in FIG. 2 against a settable stop 34 bymeans of a spring 33. If one of the pins 22 engages its lip 30 (FIGS. 2and 3), the arm 32 (FIG. 2) is rocked in counter-clockwise directionoppositely to the tension of the spring 33. Consequently the right handlever arm 32 (FIG. 2) is pressed against the pin 35 of the micro switch36 common to all pockets. In the us-ual manner a snap spring 37 isprovided in the latter micro switch (illustrated uncovered in FIG. 2) sothat upon a certain set stress of the spring 24 (FIG. 3) strong snappingof the spring 37 is effected thereby releasing the stop signal for themachine. The micro contact is illustrated as shift contact, however,only the upper contact 39 is employed which is closed in the restposition of the micro switch.

FIG. illustrates the circuit diagram of the machine. The machine isconnected to the mains by means of the main switch 40. The sortingdevice is connected to the mains through a transformer 41 and arectifier arrangement 42. The contact e (condenser and resistanceconnected in parallel) is closed in the usual manner if cards are in thecard magazine.

If the start key 43 is depressed a current circuit is estab lishedthrough relay R closing its holding contact r1 and the motor contact r2.A shunt to the contact of key 43 is maintained through contact r1 if thestart key 43 is again released. The contact 39 of the micro switch 36 isarranged between relay R and the magazine contact e. If the machine isrendered operative by depressing and releasing of the start key 43 therelay R remains energized and the motor contact r3 closed. Accordingly,the machine continues running and the current circuit through relay R ismaintained by contact 39, contact e, through the contact of the stop key44 and holding contact 11.

If any one of the sorting pockets is filled with cards the micro contact39 is opened in the manner already described and thereby the currentcircuit through relay R is interrupted, the motor contact r2 drops andthe machine stops.

If the machine is to be stopped manually at any desired moment, stop key44 is depressed; so the before mentioned current circuit of relay R isalso interrupted so that the motor stops. 4

What is claimed is:

1. A full pocket indication device for punched card machines comprisingat least one receiving pocket and full pocket indication means whereinthe cards in a receiving pocket move due to their weight a yieldingsupport to a degree causing a full pocket signal if a card pocket isfilled, characterized in that a feeler is provided on the unyieldingpocket bottom of each receiving pocket on which the stack of cards isplaced, the feeler containing a spring cup fastened to the lower side ofthe pocket bottom and supporting a spring urging in upward direction afeeler cap which is projecting through a hole of the unyielding pocketbottom into the receiving pocket and a collar of which is held againstthe lower side of the pocket bottom, said feeler cap being lowered ifloaded by the stack of cards, a pin of said cap projecting looselythrough a set screw bearing the spring cup, the set screw being arrangedin a thread bore of a holding plate fastened to the lower side of thepocket bottom, and being settable in axial direction for adjustment ofthe spring pressure acting on the feeler cap and also being lockable bymeans of a lock nut, and that the pin of a receiving pocket may releasethe full pocket signal in a manner known per se.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the release ofthe full pocket signal is effected through a toggle spring controlled bysaid feeler, said toggle spring being preferably provided by the togglespring of a micro contact including the full pocket signal contact.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,835,382 12/1931Cunningham.

2,461,418 2/1949 Ford 271-64 X 2,487,347 11/ 1949 Malmros et al 271-642,910,294 10/1959 Weidenhammer 271-88 2,957,691 10/1960 Williams 271-883,084,812 4/1963 Johansson.

3,106,302 10/1963 Mandonas 214-6 M. HENSON, WOOD, ]R., Primary Examiner.RAPHAEL M. LUPO, ROBERT B. REEVES, Examiners.

1. A FULL POCKET INDICATION DEVICE FOR PUNCHED CARD MACHINES COMPRISINGAT LEAST ONE RECEIVING POCKET AND FULL POCKET INDICATION MEANS WHEREINTHE CARDS IN A RECEIVING POCKET MOVE DUE TO THEIR WEIGHT A YIELDINGSUPPORT TO A DEGREE CAUSING A FULL POCKET SIGNAL IF A CARD POCKET ISFILLED, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT A FEELER IS PROVIDED ON THE UNYIELDINGPOCKET BOTTOM OF EACH RECEIVING POCKET ON WHICH THE STACK OF CARDS ISPLACED, THE FEELER CONTAINING A SPRING CUP FASTENED TO THE LOWER SIDE OFTHE POCKET BOTTOM AND SUPPORTING A SPRING URGING IN UPWARD DIRECTION AFEELER CAP WHICH IS PROJECTING THROUGH A HOLE OF THE UNYIELDING POCKETBOTTOM INTO THE RECEIVING POCKET AND A COLLAR OF WHICH IS HELD AGAINSTTHE LOWER SIDE OF THE POCKET BOTTOM, SAID FEELER CAP BEING LOWERED IFLOADED BY THE STACK OF CARDS, A PIN OF SAID CAP PROJECTING LOOSELYTHROUGH A SET SCREW BEARING THE SPRING CUP, THE SET SCREW BEING ARRANGEDIN A THREAD BORE OF A HOLDING PLATE FASTENED TO THE LOWER SIDE OF THEPOCKET BOTTOM, AND BEING SETTABLE IN AXIAL DIRECTION FOR ADJUSTMENT OFTHE SPRING PRESSURE ACTING ON THE FEELER CAP AND ALSO BEING LOCKABLE BYMEANS OF A LOCK NUT, AND THAT THE PIN OF A RECEIVING POCKET MAY RELEASETHE FULL POCKET SIGNAL IN A MANNER KNOWN PER SE.